The beauty you possess
by Shutyourcakehole
Summary: The story of how Castiel saves Dean from Hell and how they fall in love. Sticking to the original season 4 Supernatural storyline but with Dean and Cas in a relationship. May continue into later seasons. Supernatural doesn't belong to me.
1. Chapter 1

The beauty you possess

_Dean Winchester_.

The soul's name spurred him on as he plunged into the raging inferno of Hell. The smell of burning flesh and charred organs was almost overpowering when it hit his Grace. The screams of the tortured souls ringing in his ears was difficult to ignore, but he knew he must continue with the mission. A great number of his garrison had sacrificed themselves, while attacking the demons that defended Hell, for this assignment. This was God's work. He was an angel and had been created for it. The red hot hellfire scarred his wings, making them black and tattered, as he travelled at celestial speed, descending further into the Pit.

* * *

The blackened and misshapen soul stood staring at the burning sky of Hell. At this moment, it was exploding with great bursts of white and red light, scattering light across the sky with a burning intensity. Normally, Hell's sky was a dark sea of black, making the souls feel trapped in a void, with no form of escape.

Alastair, Hell's grand torturer and a Demon Master, called to the soul, commanding it to return to his station. Alastair knew of the situation happening overhead. However, the angels had been dealt with and would be causing no more trouble. The torture master hissed at the soul staring at the sky, 'Hey, Dean-o, get over here. I want you to test my new torture device.'

The soul turned to look at the Demon Master. _Dean, that was his name. _He struggled to remember more details…_Dean. Dean Winchester. He was a hunter. He died for his little brother, Sammy. Sam. He was meant to protect Sam. The hellhounds attacking him. Darkness. Then pain. Frequent, intense pain. And finally, being shattered and broken. _Alastair had broken him and Dean had become his apprentice in the art of torture. Dean's humanity was destroyed. He reluctantly made his way over to join Alastair, silently chastising himself: _He wasn't human anymore and he despised himself. He would never be able to escape from Hell. _

* * *

He could sense that he was close to his target. He recalled his superior's commands: _Retrieve the Righteous Man. Restore his body and cleanse his soul. _

The angel flew onward, knowing he was the last of his garrison who was able to complete the mission. The heat intensified as he proceeded into Alastair's section of this abominable land. He was flying above the blood red ground which vaguely resembled a processing line in an Earth factory, with each stage resulting in a more horrific form of torture from the last. He searched for his charge, until his Grace zeroed in on Dean Winchester's soul.

Suddenly, he was blocked by a brigade of demon soldiers, dressed for battle in flowing black cloaks which hid their weapons from the angel's view. He stopped abruptly as a demon grabbed one of his wings and ripped away a small piece of his Grace. He raised his head to the sky in pain, fighting back a scream. He arched his wings, throwing off the demon with relative ease. His whole being started to shake with the intense pain caused by his Grace being tainted by the demon. He fought the urge to fly as the demons started to crowd around him. He quickly raised his hands and screamed an Enochian chant that the Hosts had taught the soldiers of Heaven. His Grace emitted a blinding light which vaporised the demons, causing thick black, sulphurous smoke to form in the sky.

The angel took a quick inventory of his injuries. His wings were still damaged from the fires and extreme heat of Hell. He inspected them and instantly knew that his Grace would eventually return them to their original state. He relocated Dean Winchester's soul and started to descend towards it. Even from his great height, the angel could see the glimmer of the man's soul. It was tarnished with sin and darkness, which belonged to Hell, but underneath the layers of black, was a shining human soul. The angel knew this soul possessed a beauty as clear as a diamond. As he flew closer to it, demons emerged on both sides and he produced his Heavenly weapons, slashing at the beasts of Hell with his angel blade. The attackers fell back as he reached for Dean's soul and lifted it carefully into his arms. The soul in his arms started to scream in pain when the pure Grace of the angel made contact. Realising his Grace was the source of the soul's anguish; the angel placed his hand on Dean's forehead and sent him to sleep.

* * *

Dean awoke to a gravelly voice murmuring words in language he didn't understand. He was having trouble remembering again, so he repeated the facts he could remember, like a mantra: _He was Dean. He was in hell. He had to protect Sam. The hellhounds ripping him apart. Alastair. There had been a blinding light and pain, then darkness and the murmuring. _

He fully woke when he heard a shout near him. Dean looked around in alarm and realised he was flying upwards at great speed. Air whooshed past as he ascended from the Pit below. He gazed at his new mode of transport and saw he was being carried by a creature with enormous wings. Dean could see that the wings were charred and blackened, although underneath the grime he could just make out a shimmering array of unimaginable colours. _An angel, _his mind screamed at him. This was an angel. Dean pushed the thought away as the creature looked down at him, pausing in its murmuring to stare into Dean's eyes. Dean was astonished to discover a human face with startling blue eyes staring back at him. They were incredibly bright, sparkling with intelligence, far beyond any human wit. These eyes had seen every part of the cosmos, and the many wonders that the universe holds, they had watched humanity evolve from whatever creature had first roamed the Earth, and had witnessed the paradoxical nature of God's favourite creation; they had seen the cruelty and kindness which exists in everyday life, and yet they were looking at Dean as if he was the most beautiful creature in all of existence.

* * *

The angel glanced down at the human he was carrying in his arms. He had always been fascinated by humanity, and had often silently watched them when he had been stationed on Earth. However, nothing in all of human history could compare to the being he was holding as he raced towards the wormhole the angels had created in the top layer of Hell. Dean Winchester was a renowned name in Heaven. Only a select few Arch-angels knew the real reason behind the man's prestige, but the angel knew that once Dean was alive again protecting him would be of major importance.

As the angel flew out of Hell and into the void which exist between each world, he knew it was time to reconstruct Dean's soul and return in to his body. The angel laid the soul down and began the process which would cleanse it from the darkness of Hell. He muttered blessings and prayers over Dean and started to strip away the grime from the shining, translucent soul. As he dug deeper to banish the dirt that 40 years of Hell had added to the soul, the angel was astonished to discover the clarity the soul had. It was pristine and shown with the power of a supernova. The angel marvelled at the beauty the soul possessed and vowed to protect the human from any danger which may befall him.

The angel retrieved the soul from the ground and flew onwards, entering Earth and teleporting to Dean decomposing remains. He touched the man's forehead and the flesh and organs of the Righteous man instantly healed themselves. The angel then started to lower Dean's soul into his body, taking care not to damage either part of his charge. When the soul was full emerged inside Dean's body, the man started to writhe and scream in pain. He looked down in alarm and understood the memories of Hell were tormenting the man. To purify Dean's mind, the angel pressed his hand against Dean's left shoulder and commanded his Grace to connect to the soul, instantly calming the man. As the warrior of God started to remove his hand, a piece of Dean's soul latched on to the angel's Grace, forming a celestial bond between them. Dean's body started to glow with a blinding white light, and the angel could feel his Grace explode outwards in every direction. The explosion sent out seismic waves, causing the earth to shake and shudder. The angel struggled to free himself from the connection, finally overcoming the bond and pulling his hand away. He noticed he had branded Dean with his handprint, signifying a union between the two beings. As Dean began to stir, the angel teleported to the surface to watch the human emerge from the ground.

* * *

Each light burst as the barn door opened. He could see the religious sigils covering every inch of wall space, but not one was powerful enough to harm his Grace. As he walked forward, towards the humans, sparks fell from the ceiling, showering him in light. Dean and the other man aimed their guns at him and started to fire. The angel knew this was a pointless exercise as he would instantly heal himself. He continued walking forward until he was level with his charge. He saw Dean grab a knife, the demon's knife, and the angel almost laughed because he knew it would have no effect on him whatsoever.

Dean stared at him, before asking, 'Who are you?'

He still had not adjusted to speaking in his human vessel but he answered Dean quickly, 'I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.'

Dean stared at him, frowning deeply, while replying, 'Yeah, thanks for that.'

Suddenly, Dean lunged forward and plunged the knife into his vessel. Dean backed away, clearly baffled by the inability of his weapons. The angel pulled the knife out of his heart and swung round to catch the bar the older man was swinging at his head. He soundlessly cast an Enochian sleeping spell and touched the older hunter's forehead, sending him into a peaceful slumber.

He looked back at the man he had pulled from Hell and said, 'We need to talk, Dean. Alone.'

* * *

As Dean checked Bobby's pulse, he looked up at the trench-coated man. He had dark hair, which stuck up in a messy and completely uncoordinated fashion. His eyes were oddly familiar, but Dean struggled to remember where he had seen the exquisite shade of cerulean blue before.

'Your friend's alive.'

Dean had never heard such a gravelly voice before. It seemed to vibrate through every fibre of his being. He questioned that man in front of him, 'Who are you?'

Dean got a clipped response from the man before him, 'Castiel.'

_So this is Castiel, _Dean thought to himself. He decided to ask a more appropriate question, 'Yeah, I figured that much. I mean, what are you?'

The man slowly turned to face Dean and answered him, 'I'm an angel of the Lord.'

There was a dead silence. Dean could hardly believe what he had just heard, it was ridiculous. He stood up slowly, ready to face the man if he decided to attack, and scoffed, 'Get the Hell out of here. There's no such thing.'

The man walked in front of him and almost growled at him, 'This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith.'

* * *

Castiel walked towards Dean and stopped. He knew that angels were forbidden from showing their wings to humans, but he had saved this man, and there was already an absolute bond between them. If he was going to disobey Heaven, then it would only ever be for Dean Winchester. His wings were still charred from his time in Hell, so Dean would not be able to see their true form. Castiel shuffled his shoulders, allowing his wings to unfold into this dimension. With a loud crash and a burst of light, the angel spread out his wings, as he stared at Dean's alarmed face. Although damaged, his wings were still magnificent to behold. Castiel glared and Dean, hoping to have proved his point and be able to continue with his angelic duties.

* * *

**AN: **Well, hope you enjoyed that. The next chapters will explore the relationship more and I should be able to update in a few days time. I'd love it if you reviewed and gave me some constructive criticism. Thanks for reading! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, firstly, I am so sorry for not uploading this sooner. I had exams and work and I've not really had a spare minute to type it, but I've finished exams now so I've got more time to write.

Also, this chapter jumps about a bit. I'd say this chapter can fit in anywhere after the 4th episode of season 4, so Cas and Dean have met and established a vague friendship. None of my story is actually in the show, but I've written it so it fits in between different scenes. If you're unsure of anything then just let me know.

I don't own Supernatural.

Anyway, I'll stop talking now. Enjoy!

* * *

Castiel was sitting in a Heaven. It wasn't his favourite Heaven, but it was still enjoyable. This was the Heaven of a British soldier from WW1. It was a beautiful summer's day and the soldier was having tea with his family in his back garden. He had just been accepted for the Army and was looking forward to fighting with his comrades. The garden was stunning. The flowers, planted in a border around the grass were blooming, lighting up the garden with an array of colours. To the right, separated from the garden by a small wall, was an apple orchard. Castiel sat on the wall, watching the memory. This was one of the man's happiest memories, and Castiel was glad this was the soldier's Heaven, as it had been the last time he had been with his family. The soldier had then left for the front line and never returned.

Castiel was reflecting on the duty he had been given. _Dean Winchester_. The man was proving to be quite an interesting case. Castiel had been frequently visiting his charge and providing him with whatever he needed. Some of the angels, especially Uriel, had questioned his judgement, declaring that Castiel had been 'compromised' by the human. Castiel dismissed these allegations, claiming that he was fulfilling is mission, given to him by God, and who were they to question their Father's word. The Host had agreed with him, but warned Castiel to not get attached to Dean. The angel sighed, he was perfectly aware that angels were not meant to feel. They were meant to be emotionless and effective soldiers of Heaven. However, Castiel knew that the situation with Dean had not contaminated him. Dean was under his protection and in Castiel's eyes; it was inevitable that he would grow to care for the human.

As Castiel came to this conclusion, a sharp pain seared through his body. He grunted and fell to the ground. He couldn't understand where the pain was coming from, as the only object which could harm angels was an angel sword. Suddenly, his head was filled with images of Hell and the sound of a man screaming. He instantly understood that the connection between Dean's soul and his Grace had resurfaced. Struggling to stand because of the pain pulsing through his vessel, Castiel located Dean and teleported to Earth.

He found Dean, tossing and turning in his sleep, clearly distressed. Castiel kept getting flashes of Dean's nightmare. Alastair's laugh echoed in his ears as he sat on Dean's bed, gently rousing him.

* * *

Dean jerked awake, woken from his nightmare. He noticed a presence next to him and pulled out the knife from under his pillow, while flipping over to face the intruder.

'Hey, you jerk-Oh Cas, it's you…you know it's really not a good idea to sneak up on me.'

'Yes, but I felt your discomfort. You were dreaming of Hell, again.'

Dean looked down at his hands, not wanting to show Cas how much the nightmare had upset him.

'I guess I was….but it doesn't matter.'

Dean scowled in the darkness. He told himself that he should be able to get over this, and yet most nights he would remember his time in Hell.

'Dean, I can help you sleep.'

Dean sighed. He didn't want to seem vulnerable in front of Cas, and he was angry at himself for not being able to fight the memories of Hell, but he needed the sleep. His erratic sleeping pattern was beginning to disrupt his work.

'Sure, go for it.'

Cas placed two fingers to Dean's forehead and instantly his mind cleared and his body relaxed. He lay down and yawned, suddenly feeling exceptionally tired. He turned on his side and mumbled, 'Thanks Cas,' and yawned again. The angel nodded and Dean could see a glimpse of a smile on Castiel's face before he fell back to sleep.

* * *

Dean was pissed. He'd just woken up to discover Sam had left, _again_. He was probably away with Ruby, getting his kicks or looking for Lilith. His little brother was so sure he was doing the right thing, but it was said the road to Hell was paved with good intentions, and Dean was sure that working with demons was the quickest way to screw up your life, no matter what Sam said. Cas had also warned him of Sam's behaviour. Dean was sick and tired of Sam running off to Ruby. He was meant to protect Sammy, and how could he do that if his little brother was in the hands of a demon? Dean decided that the best idea would be to find Sam and talk sense into him.

He called Sam's cell to check it was with him. It rung for a while and Dean was about to hang up, when Sam finally answered,

'Hey Dean, what's up?'

'Hmm, nothing, what you up to?'

'Oh, just out getting some food and stuff. I'll be back soon.'

Dean sighed, frustrated that his brother was still pretending everything was fine.

'Right, of course you will.'

'Emm yeah, see you later Dean.'

Then Sam hung up. Dean nearly threw his phone across the motel room in anger. Dean knew exactly what Sam would be doing, and he was insulted and irritated that Sam kept playing his for a fool. He phoned Sam's cellphone operator and turned on the GPS on his phone, then used Sam's laptop to find his location. It was a mile or two away from their current hotel, so Dean grabbed his keys, locked the motel room and drove off in the impala.

As he drove, Dean contemplated calling Castiel for help. Dean had gradually grown to like the angel and his strange ways, and he was very useful for hunts and information. The angel also seemed to care deeply about Dean, which was difficult for Dean to understand. Dean always wondered why an angel of the Lord would care about him. He was a shattered and imperfect human, who had practically broken every one of God's commandants for mankind, and yet Castiel still took time to watch over him. Dean was grateful for that and viewed Cas as a best friend. However, he decided against calling the angel, he was there to talk to Sam and only Sam.

Dean drove till he reached the building that, according to the GPS, Sam was currently in. He parked across the street from an old warehouse. Most of the windows were missing and the sign which bore the name of the owner had faded. Dean loaded his gun and walked towards the building.

When he reached the door, he pushed it open slowly and stepped inside. It was dark inside and Dean pulled out a flashlight from his jacket. He flicked it on with the gun and the light in position. He pulled out his cell and phoned Sam again. There was no answer and Dean didn't hear it ring in the building he was in. He began to suspect that he'd been tricked into coming here. Sam wasn't here and Dean decided to get out of there as quickly as he could. As he was walking towards the door, something grabbed him from behind. He was struck from behind on the head and slipped into unconsciousness.

When Dean resurfaced he was tied to a chair. He shook his head to clear his vision. He looked up and saw a woman with short light brown hair and green eyes looking at him with a smirk. She blinked and her eyes turned to deep black.

'Oh great, demons,' Dean muttered.

'Well hey there, Dean. Nice to see you up.'

'What do you want?' Dean asked.

'Skipping the pleasantries are we? Well, you know why you're here. The seals. And you've got help from angels, which doesn't really help our cause, so we thought we'd just keep you away from it all for a little while.'

While she'd been talking, Dean slid the pocket knife out of his sleeve and started to cut away the ropes which bound him. There was only one demon, and when he got out of here, he'd call Sam and leave this town.

'Afraid you're going to lose?' Dean asked.

The demon laughed mirthlessly and walked towards Dean, and crouched down in front of him.

'The thought had crossed our minds, so we thought it would be best if you paid us a little visit.'

Dean head butted the demon and pulled his hands out of the ropes. He stood up, grabbing the woman and punched her in the face. She hissed at him and kicked Dean in the stomach. He stumbled back and looked up. Suddenly, there were another three demons in the room.

'Brought reinforcements, did you?' Dean asked.

'You're a Winchester, better to be safe than sorry,' the woman answered.

A man lunged at Dean, his eyes flicking to black. Dean struggled with him and stabbed him with the penknife. The four demons then crowded round Dean and one grabbed his arms from behind.

'I'm getting a bit tired of your attitude, Winchester,' a demon muttered.

One of the men punched Dean hard in the face and he felt blood trickle from his nose into his mouth. He was punched again in the stomach and Dean groaned in pain. Dean was repeatedly hit by the demons until he was about to black out for a second him.

Suddenly he heard a shout and one of the demons holding him ran towards the noise.

'Dean, close your eyes NOW!'

Dean closed his eyes, but he could sense a blinding light and felt a flash of heat. The remaining demons holding him fell to the ground and Dean stumbled. He fell in to someone's arms and looked up to see Castiel's face.

Cas healed him and transported them back to the impala. Dean looked over at Cas and saw a worried look on the angel's face.

'Are you alright, Dean?' Cas asked hesitantly.

Dean coughed.

'Em, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for getting me out of there,' Dean answered.

'What were you doing there?' The angel questioned him.

'I thought Sam was there, but he wasn't. The demons wanted to keep me there so they could continue breaking seals.'

Castiel nodded.

'I need to return to Heaven. Be careful, Dean.'

Dean smiled at his friend and laughed, 'Always am, Cas.'

Castiel smirked and left the car with a flutter of wings. Dean smiled at where the angel had been sitting and mentally sent a thank you to him. Dean then put the car into first gear and drove off, back to the motel.

* * *

Dean lay in the hospital bed after the encounter with Alastair. He couldn't do this, he couldn't do anything. Castiel had just informed him that he had started breaking the seals, that it was his job to avert the apocalypse, and so far he had failed miserably. He'd lost everything along this path and the grief which he kept from the rest of the world had finally caught up with him.

He looked over at the angel sitting in the hospital chair by his bed, and let out a sob.

'I can't do this, Cas...I've tried but I just can't do this.'

Castiel walked over to Dean and took his hand. For once, Dean wasn't embarrassed by the angel's personal space issues, or lack of understanding. He needed the contact.

Castiel sighed, and looked into Dean's eyes before saying, 'Dean, I rebuilt you when I saved you from Hell. I know every inch of you being and how beautiful your soul is. Please, you know I would never lie to you. You are special Dean, and you are able to do this. I will be there with you, as will your brother, Sam.'

Dean looked back at the angel, and smiled weakly, 'Thanks Cas, I guess I needed to hear that.' Dean pulled Castiel towards him, giving the angel a hug.

'Dean...I...'

Castiel stiffened as Dean hugged him, not sure of the current situation. Dean chuckled as he let go of the angel. Cas was frowning and Dean stared into his eyes in confusion.

'Dean, I need to tell you something...'

The angel leaned forward, closing his eyes, and pressed his head against Dean's forehead.

'Close your eyes, Dean. It will make this easier.'

* * *

Dean could feel Castiel reaching into his mind, constructing a telepathic bridge between them both. He could sense the sheer magnitude of Castiel's mind. It was endless and full of colours as bright and magical as his wings. Dean stiffened slightly as he felt the words tumble from Castiel's mind into his: _'Dean, I love you.'_

* * *

Castiel pulled away from Dean, severing the connection. He looked down at his feet, not sure of Dean's reaction. Castiel shifted his gaze to Dean's boots as he said, 'Dean, you can do this. I have every faith in you.'

Dean lay in shock at what had just happened and was only drawn out of his trance by a fluttering of wings, signalling the angel's exit.

* * *

Dean jerked awake, shaken from another nightmare about Hell. He was sweating slightly and trembling. He whispered into the darkness, 'Cas, where are you?

Dean heard a flutter of wings and a shuffle in the darkness, and then a gruff voice spoke near to him, 'I'm here, Dean.'

Dean reached out and grabbed the angel's arm, pulling the trench-coated man towards him and they both sat down on Bobby's couch.

'Em, I just wanna say thanks for earlier. I really needed to hear...well, I guess I really need to hear it from you.'

A cloud moved and moonlight poured in through the window, illuminating the dark haired man, as he replied, 'You don't have to thank me, Dean. You're my charge, I'm here for you.'

Dean nodded, and glanced down. He cleared his throat, sudden nervous and then asked, 'Cas...the thing you said today...was it...did you mean it?'

Castiel's eyes examined Dean's face, settling on his eyes with his usual intense stare, and answered, 'Yes, I did.'

Dean slowly moved closer to Castiel, cupping the angel's face. Castiel had frozen. Dean wasn't sure if it was caused by fear or anticipation. The two men were touching noses and Dean moved forward, placing a soft kiss on Castiel's lips. As their lips touched all the lights flew on and blew their fuses, showering Dean and Castiel in glass and sparks.

Dean drew back, glancing around the room that was covered in broken glass. He turned and smiled at the angel.

'Was that you?'

Castiel glanced down, embarrassment flooding his face, as he mumbled, 'Yes...I didn't mean to, it just happened.'

Dean chuckled and pulled Castiel towards him again, and whispered to the angel, 'That has to be the best reaction I've ever got from kissing someone.'

* * *

AN: Okay, hope you enjoyed this. Would really love to hear what you think of it so far and if you have an suggestions then let me know.

On a side note, I had firstly written Dean saying I love you back to Cas in the hospital scene, but I decided to change it because Dean's not that sort of person. I'm going to try and fit it into a later scene but if it doesn't work then I'm not going to force it. Dean's not great admitting his feelings, so I don't think he'd just say it straight off.

Once again, I apologise for the wait, but I'm finished exams now so I'm free to write! :) Please review!


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